Hans stood on the remains of the battlefield surrounded by unconscious gangers.
He had to give them some credit to stay on fighting even in the face of Wakamo's sudden departure from combat, leaving them without the strength and morale needed to keep on fighting.
Yet they still did.
Abandoning behind their comrades, the logical ones made their escape. They already know that this is a fight they cannot win, and they're not staying any longer just to get pulverized into the asphalt.
Thus ending the skirmish prematurely, in a state of absolute victory.
"Sensei!" Yuuka's voice rang out from behind as the captain rose from the rubble with his fist still implanted deep to the pavement. A crater left behind in its wake, and a fallen white coated thug groaned as she laid in it.
"SENSEII! HOW DID YOU DO THAT?!" The starstruck treasurer sprinted to him. "But- Vice President Rin said you didn't have a halo! You shouldn't be able to-ooh! Was it augmentations?! Or was it something else?! How did you move so fast? How did you crush that TANK BARE HANDEDLY?!" Yuuka moved up and down as her eyes kept darting around him, studying the specimen that is Hans before she paused in her excitement. Her hand clutching his as her excitement died down.
"...Are you okay? You just took a tank hit for us and w-well… um…" Yuuka's expression lit up in crimson. Not only from his current attire but from her own actions. "Just don't go do that kind of thing, alright?!"
She let go of his hand and pointed a sharp finger into his direction. Uncaring of her own heat on her cheeks from the physical contact, because right now that doesn't matter. What matters is that he was… quite alright.
"Sensei." Suzumi followed in Yuuka's footsteps—then soon after, the rest followed. Sprinting towards him with curious and worried eyes, from the fight that had just ended.
Really, there were no bruises, no burns, not even a scratch. It was like he was a haloed student underneath all of that. Yet, he was not. It didn't make any ounce of sense, but the truth is there right in front of them as he stood unharmed.
"Really sensei… you gave us quite the scare." Chinatsu sighed in relief. Turning to him with a gentle smile before she immediately looked away, forgetting the fact that he is quite shirtless.
Hans didn't understand why she was like that. Or… anyone else around him to be fair. Worry and fear for his well being.
Why? Why were they afraid for his safety?
Why do they worry?
His role as "sensei" was to lead them into the war, right? An expendable ace he was. It shouldn't matter if he was hurt or not. He was a soldier, and he's their…
What is his role exactly?
"You're… a-ahem... fine in the end, but please don't do anything reckless like that, no matter how noble it is. We can't afford to see you hurt." Rin adjusted her glasses and looked away. "And please take this to cover y-yourself up…" She thrusted a small blanket just enough to hide his upper body.
Is he really that important?
Hans draped it over, turning it into a makeshift cloak.
"Everyone, please wait here..." Rin gestured. "Sensei, let's head inside. The sooner we're done here the better it would be for Kivotos." With a confident step the elf entered first without an ounce of hesitation unlike the captain.
His thoughts are still in a scramble from their words. He looked at the building, then at the students outside—staring at him curiously, at whatever thoughts laid behind in his unreadable expression.
What is his role here? Teacher? Guardian? An Ace in the Hole?
Whatever it was, he finally took his steps and stood next to Rin with a nod.
"Hm. This way." Rin gestured and opened the door with a swipe of a card. It was dark and silent, with the red of emergency lights accompanying them on the walk and the ever-spreading echoes of their footsteps as the halls echoed back. It was like they were walking into a trap, with the walls watching their every step.
No one had been inside for a long... long time, and yet everything still looked so pristine. It was as if someone had been cleaning away the dirt and grime all this time, defying the logic of the building's utter neglect.
A faint feeling of being watched lingered, but nothing was here except them. Meaningless paranoia did nothing but fuel doubt. No suspicious stench reached the captain's nose, and Rin kept her steadfast march.
Despite the oppressive atmosphere and the deafening silence, the two braved the dark. Rin marched on, step by step as if she had known the building like the back of her hand.
"Stay close to me, sensei. We're getting close," Rin said calmly.
Hans nodded silently, his eyes darting up and down the darkened halls, barely lit by the dim glow of the emergency lights. Then, they reached a stairway.
"Be careful." Rin grasped the handrail and began descending.
The lower floor was strangely homely. A sofa, a large table, shelves holding a generous number of books—and was that a floating stone artifact in a room she called, the crafting chamber.
Hans let his eyes wander around the room while Rin walked to one of the shelves. Fished out a key in her pockets, and with a click a hidden drawer revealed itself. She opened it, removed a secretive panel, and grabbed a rectangular device.
"Here it is. Thankfully, it doesn't have a single scratch." Rin inspected the device for a moment before handing it to the captain. "Please, take it."
Hans took the device hesitantly, studying it with a raised eyebrow.
"This is called the Shittim Chest. The General Student Council president left it behind, and it's the only thing that could help us regain control over the tower," Rin explained calmly, even with the urgency looming over them.
"None of us have been able to unlock it, no matter what we tried. You're our only hope, sensei."
…Shittim.
Hans gave her a funny look.
"Is there… something wrong?" Rin asked anxiously, feeling her initial faith to falter at the sight.
Hans turned the device over in his hands, examining it up and down, left and right. He tapped on the screen. Nothing. Strange buttons were positioned on the left and in the center; he pressed them…
Still nothing.
A frown came to his face as he tried to make sense of the device. He tried it again but the screen remained dark. What is this? What the heck is this thing? It's alien to him but…it felt oddly familiar.
Like a memory buried deep, locked behind chains and layers of decay.
The two remained in silence for what felt like minutes on end, yet Hans still couldn't make sense of the device.
"…Um… I'll let you take the lead, sensei. I'll head out to give you some more concentra-"
Hans shook his head pointing it as a plea for help. Rin swallowed a lump in her throat as she adjusted her glasses.
"Sensei… uhm… try holding the power button for two seconds."
Hans narrowed his eyes
"The small one," Rin clarified.
Hans pointed at a button.
"Yes—no! That's the home button!:
Hans spun it again and pointed.
"No, that's the volume-" Rin paused and slowly she understood. "Sensei, please don't tell me… that you've never touched a tablet before."
The captain slowly nods.
Rin let out a long, shaky breath. "…I see. I'll have someone teach you later." She could feel her hopes dimming, he was her only chance. If he failed… then Kivotos was doomed.
"A-Ahem." The elf cleared her throat, trying to steady herself. "The side buttons, sensei. The short one—yes! That's the one!"
A nod of agreement and a faint hint of relief from Hans. Finally, he was done with this strange object of mortal technology.
Following Rin's advice, Hans pressed the button. He held it for a few seconds, silently counting the ticks of time.
Then slowly, the dark glass flickered to life… and light filled the room.
A large logo styled as the letter "S" appeared on the screen before it loads to an input.
"Please enter the system password."
"…Wow, I can't believe that worked! It didn't work for—" Rin's eyes lit up before she cleared her throat, trying to remain professional. "Anyway, I'll leave you to figure out the password, sensei."
The captain paused, his thoughts grinding to a sudden halt. Password? He couldn't recall anything like that.
Or… did he?
Something jolted and struck his mind like a powerful thunderbolt—a faint and fleeting memory that shouldn't exist piercing straight into every single cell within his cranium, synapses firing down into a cascade down to his fingers.
Before he realized it, his limbs had already moved, and the deed was done.
We thirst for the seven wailings.
We bear the koan of Jericho.
The same words that were said before his descent in the airship.
CONFIRM.
Somehow, the tablet shone brighter.
Password accepted. Welcome to the Shittim Chest, Hans-Sensei.
Converting to operating system A.R.O.N.A. for biological authentication and generation of verification certificates.
Then for a moment it flashed something else.
Willkommen Herr Hauptsturmführer,
Hans Günsche
Before it all went white.
The light was blinding.
Threatening to consume all in its brilliance, and on instinct, Hans raised his arm to protect his eyes as the bright sun receded and his eyes adjusted.
He was no longer in the darkened room of SCHALE. Instead, he found himself in a classroom—or rather, what remained of one. The room was a complete wreck—furniture were thrown, scattered, and piled up with some of it piled up alongside rubble and shattered rocks. Water covered the floor, reflecting the chaos, and himself like a perfect mirror.
Lastly, there was even a gaping hole in the wall that offered a beautiful view of the endless blue sky stretching above a calm, never-ending ocean.
It looked as though a mortar shell had struck it and a typhoon had raged inside. Yet somehow… it didn't feel messy or abandoned.
Instead, it was pristine, wondrous, and calm. Beautiful even in this unreal chaos.
Was this a dream within a dream? A hallucination? But it all felt so real. There had to be an explanation.
Hans blinked again, and a faint noise caught his ears. He turned to the side, and saw the only other occupant in this strange space he had never noticed all along.
How?
A small girl who was busy sleeping on a nearby desk.
Nearby sat a peculiar white umbrella shaped like a gun… or was it a gun shaped like an umbrella?
She has pale blue hair with pink highlights, tied with a white ribbon resembling rabbit ears. Lastly, she wore a blue sailor uniform with a white collar and skirt.
Just like the other girls he had encountered, a circular blue halo hovered above her head.
Her soft snores and occasional giggles filled the classroom as though she were lost in the most wonderful dream. Her head rested on the desk, and the sight was oddly… serene.
Hans approached her slowly, his boots splashing as silent as he could on the flooded floor. Pulling out a chair from a nearby desk, he sat down beside her. Curiously watching her snooze away in La La Land.
"Mm… hehe… Castella cake... Banana milk... goes better than strawberry milk..."
A small smile crept onto the captain's lips as he listened to her sleep talk about sugary dreams. He didn't want to interrupt a pup in their sleep, but the situation called for it. He raised his hand and gently stroked her hair.
A faint, sweet fragrance drifted from her. Strawberries. Odd, but unimportant.
"Mm… hehe…" she giggled softly in her dreams. "I love cannons... how did you know?"
It seemed a more drastic measure was needed. Hans reached for her shoulder, grasping it firmly as he gave her a gentle shake.
"Hehe… this massage chair… is so funky…" she giggled again. "What a funky…"
Hans… didn't know what to make of it. She was, without a doubt, the definition of a heavy sleeper.
He shook her again, and again, until she finally stirred with a small groan. Yawning, she slowly rose from the table and rubbed the drowsiness away from her eyes.
"Hweeh...? What's… what's going on…?"
She slowly opened her eyes, and Hans was momentarily taken aback. Her eyes were the opposite of his crimson—a beautiful ocean blue that seemed to shine brighter than the sun above.
She blinked again.
Once, twice—then she immediately burst into full-blown panic mode. A deep blush spread across her face, and her halo flickered, to a glitched, pale blue.
"Eh… Ehhh?! I-If you're here… you must be Hans-sensei?!"
How did she know who he was was quite irrelevant… perhaps. For now, he should just… accept it with a nod.
"Ah! So I was right! Wait… hueeh!? D-Don't tell me I overslept?!" The girl's panic took over, her halo shifting once more as if mirroring her emotional state. A small streak of tears formed in her eyes as she realized her blunder.
Hans merely shrugged, tightening his grasp on her shoulder—a silent gesture that said in his own way:
It's okay. It's quite alright.
Don't worry about it.
With a small shake of his head, Hans reached out to gently wipe away the tiny beads of tears clinging to the corners of her eyes until there are no more.
"…Uu… hehe… you're so kind, you know, sensei?" she giggled, leaning into his gloved hand. Her halo flickered, shifting to the shape of a pink heart.
Then with a raging blush, she pulled away from his hand, leaping from the chair and quickly dusting herself off.
"A-Ah! Um… Oh! I forgot to introduce myself!" she exclaimed, her face lighting up with a radiant, blinding smile.
"My name is Arona! I'm the system manager that lives inside the Shittim Chest, serving as its main OS. Think of me as your trusty secretary, Sensei!" She said, puffing her chest with pride.
"I'm so glad to finally meet you! I've been waiting a long time!" She continued, bouncing up and down with excitement in which Hans replied with a simple nod. Seemingly quite indifferent from her excitement.
It was good that he wore that large neck guard around his lips, because he couldn't contain his smile.
"Ehehe..." the AI giggled before clearing her throat. "I might not seem like much, Sensei, but I can prove that I am mightier than you think. So, from now on…" she pointed her index finger at him with the same confident smile.
"Please rely on me if things get hairy!"
Arona repeated, with an adorable smug expression
The captain couldn't contain it anymore. His lips twitched, and a small, genuine chuckle escaped. He was utterly amused by this girl. He couldn't believe it, but… he felt like he could genuinely trust her the most. It was a strange feeling, but it was something that wouldn't hurt.
"Sensei! You…! You laughed!" Arona's eyes were wide as plates as her smile grew wider.
Hans wouldn't admit it. He shook his head and tried to change whatever thoughts she had with a pointed finger and a gesture toward the classroom around them.
"Hm? Are you wondering about this place? This is inside the Shittim Chest!" Arona explained cheerfully. But Hans's eyes widened in awe. Is this the true potential of technology?
"Your real self should be fine outside, Sensei. Time moves strangely in the Shittim Chest—hours here would only be minutes outside," Arona continued, her tone as bubbly as ever.
"Hm… Oh! Before I forget, I need your biological authentication, Sensei."
Hans tilted his head, his expression speaking volumes without the need for words.
"U-um... this is a little embarrassing," Arona fidgeted slightly. "But it's all part of the protocol! I promise! So…"
There was nothing to do but trust her, so he agreed with a nod.
"Okay! Um... w-would you mind bending down? You're too tall, Sensei."
He did as she asked, kneeling down and keeping his eyes on the young girl as she fidgeted nervously before raising her hand.
"T-Then, place your fingertip against mine. Um, you might want to take off your gloves first, Sensei."
Hans removed his right glove and tucked it away before raising his ungloved hand. Gently, he let his fingertip touch Arona's.
It felt... strange. An unexplained kind of strange. Her finger grew warm as her stare focused intently on the point where their fingers met. Unwavering in whatever she is trying to do.
Again, the unexplained odd feeling continued like a ticklish lingering sensation—a flow of water and a jolt of electricity coursing down from his head to the tip of his fingers, moving in a steady stream as long as their fingers remained connected. Before finally, at some point images and memories flashed before his eyes—a life once lived until everything was consumed in an azure inferno.
1900, 1910, 1920, 1930, 1940, 1950, 1960, 1970, 1980, 1990, 1999.
The Witch, The Hunter, The Boy, The Angel of Death, The Major, and The Wolf.
Instinctively, Hans flinched. His thoughts scrambled, memories folded and collapsing into one. He inched away from Arona's touch-
"It's almost done, sensei! J-Just wait!" Arona's voice seemingly is his only anchor to reality in this… this situation.
The night, the forest, the fire, and the deep inky void.
He couldn't take it anymore. With a sharp tug, Hans forcefully pulled his hand away from Arona's touch, ignoring whatever progress she might have made, and clenched his hand tightly as though it were on fire.
"S-Sensei! Are you okay?!" Arona exclaimed before she looked away. "U-Um... sorry if it was a little uncomfortable, but... it's necessary." Arona fidgeted, with a look of guilt as a faded blue hue enveloped the duo and ended the flow between them.
"I swear I didn't see much, but…" Hesitantly, she stood on her tiptoes and did something he truly never had expected.
Her petite fingers stretched as high as they could, gently landing on the captain's snow-white hair. "You've… been through so much alone, but that's in the past now. You've got your super assistant Arona and the students! So… rest easy, Sensei."
Hans didn't know how to react. Outrage? Disapproval? Fear? No, it was none of those.
It was… something he couldn't describe. Lost to him, almost alien, yet it was something he was certain he had known all too well.
Comfort.
"Hehe… your hair is so soft-" Arona's voice trailed off as she snapped out of her gestures. Her cheeks flushed, and she quickly looked away, fidgeting before shaking off her embarrassment.
"A-Anyway… um, do you… want to retry right now?" she asked, raising her hand. "The previous authentication is unfinished, so we'll have to start from the beginning. You were lucky it didn't gave us any unforeseen troubles from the sudden disconnect, you know?"
Hans closed his eyes. This little artificial entity—a being that could drive Herr Doktor mad with the implications.
She waited for him. "It's your choice, sensei."
Choice…
Hans exhaled softly and raised his hand. The young girl smiled and nodded, her fingers once again meeting him—the blue tint returning to his eyes, shimmering faintly like a distant glow.
He began counting the numbers. The years. The same sensation—lightning coursing through his body, flowing steadily like a river.
Two. Three. Ten.
Somehow, he felt calmer this time. Maybe it was because of the way she had stroked his rough hair earlier.
Twenty. Thirty. A hundred.
He felt weightless, like he was drifting once again.
Two hundred. Three hundred… a thousand.
"All done!" Arona's cheerful voice shattered his game of numbers, pulling him back to reality as he opened his eyes.
And the young secretary's smile was the first thing he saw at that moment.
"With this, you are now the rightful owner of the Shittim Chest," Arona said, resting her hands to her sides. "Is there anything else I can help with?" she asked, folding her hands behind her back with an expectant look.
Sanctum… Tower Control.
HER.
Those two topics came to mind immediately. But… how could he relay them to her? He didn't know… hand signs.
No paper, no pen. Hans could only nod, gesture, and listen.
It had been… so long since he had chosen silence. Remaining mute because why would he speak? He was a soldier. An old dog waiting for death.
Could he even… talk anymore at this point?
A choice.
A teacher.
A request.
Those same thoughts filled his mind. He had already come this far… right? Maybe there was more to this than met the eye. Maybe… just maybe, he should do it. See it through to the end.
The captain dug deep within himself, scrounging for the thing he had lost and left behind.
After years of disuse, locked away behind rusty chains and forgotten keys, his throat trembled. Vocal cords strained, quivering in the very moment he opened his lips.
A low growl. A pathetic whimper. A guttural gasp.
The meaningless echo of a broken organ.
"...Sa…"
He bit his lip and clenched his teeth, forcing himself to try again.
It hurts. The one part of his body he couldn't regenerate instantly.
"...Tum… sa.."
He clenched his fists and tightly shut his eyes, enduring the scorching embers of the phantom silver shards as they pierced his body.
"...To..w…"
Sentences are impossible.
Not yet. Not now.
It ached. It burned.
Arona held him with a puppy-eyed stare filled with worry, murmuring something along the lines of stopping and that she would find or do something… but Hans interrupted her with a shake of his head.
He had to do this.
It was his choice.
If he couldn't manage a sentence, then just a single word would have to be enough.
"...A…"
Cold sweat dripped from his forehead, trailing his cheek, and down to the salty waters below.
"...Ro.."
One last whimper.
"...Na."
The AI's eyes widened in surprise.
"...A…rona." There it was again. Her ears weren't wrong.
He did it. Even if it was a pathetic, hapless whisper that could be regarded as nothing more but a meaningless white noise of the wind.
She can hear it. She can understand it.
Even amidst the gentle breeze of the ocean and the waves crashing upon the sand, she could still hear his fragile, silent voice.
Her eyes lit up, and a deep gasp escaped her lips. Without hesitation, she leapt toward him, grasping his hand tightly.
"S-Sensei! Y-You can speak! Y-You…!"
Not yet.
A tiny smile tugged at the corners of the captain's lips as he slowly nodded. He wasn't done just yet.
Push harder.
Push yourself harder, Hans.
"...Sanctum… to…wer… help."
Arona nodded rapidly, her fists clenched with determination as she let go. "You got it!"
She closed her eyes and flexed her fingers. Not even five seconds later, she reopened them and smiled confidently.
"Administrator control acquired! I've successfully regained control of Sanctum Tower! That means… all of Kivotos is now in the palm of your hand, Sensei."
Just like that.
"You are now the sole, most powerful person in Kivotos."
Hans shook his head. It was not his to wield, nor had it ever been his in the first place. He knew all too well how power corrupts men, and some… some would've gone mad over it.
Besides, he was no politician. He was just someone doing a favor for someone else.
Arona nodded thoughtfully. "I can transfer control of Sanctum Tower to the General Student Council with your approval, sensei."
Hans raised his thumb in agreement.
"Mhm. But before that..." Arona gave him a wink "I've made a backdoor system just in case. If the GSC loses control again, I can easily take it back. It's our secret though, sensei." She hushed.
Arona closed her eyes, then she nodded. "All done! Control over the Sanctum Tower have been transferred! Is there something else you need, sensei?"
His mouth tightened into a thin line. There was a single thing he wanted to know...
"...H..ER."
"Her?"
The wolf shook his head and thought again. Missing…
"...Pre…sident."
Arona's eyes widened slightly as the pieces clicked together. "Oh…!" But her expression quickly turned somber as she stared at her feet submerged in water and shook her head. "I'm sorry, Sensei… I have a lot of data on Kivotos, but nothing about HER… I don't even know what SHE looked like. It's like everything about HER is just… gone."
A dead end. Whoever she was…
Hans nodded curtly and spread his hands, gesturing toward the empty frame of a non-existent door.
"Hmm… oh! Are you asking for a way to exit? It's easy. Just think of the outside world, Sensei," Arona giggled. "And if you want to visit me again, just tap on the chest!"
She took a few steps back, and gave him one last radiant smile.
"See you later, Sensei!"
With that, he closed his eyes and—
He was back.
"Hans-sensei?"
Rin called his name. "Is there something wrong? I've been calling you for around five minutes now. Did something happen?"
Hans nodded silently and tapped on the tablet in response. Rin was about to press further, but the sudden vibration and ring of her phone cut her off.
She answered quickly.
"Hello? It's me."
"R-Rin! We've just confirmed it!"
"What's wrong, Ayumu?"
"We've regained control of the Sanctum Tower!
We… we did it! H-Hans-sensei did it!"
Rin froze for a moment, the words sinking in like a million tons.
He did it.
She didn't realize how her stiff shoulders loosened and sag as relief crashed over her like a wave, washing away the weeks of pent-up stress from the endless blackouts, system errors, and endless problems all around her.
Her lips quivered as a smile broke through, tugging at the corners of her mouth as she couldn't contain it any longer. Ending the call, she turned to meet the adult's silent gaze.
"Control of Sanctum Tower has just been confirmed. With this, we can finally address the many crises caused by the president's disappearance." Gratitude laced Rin's voice as she finished with a deep bow.
"On behalf of the entire General Student Council, thank you, sensei. We will repay this debt we owe you."
Hans replied with a simple nod and a slight tilt of his head.
What now?
His gestures spoke for him.
"But before we leave, sensei, there's one more thing we need to do."
Rin walked to a nearby light switch and clicked it. The blaring alarm fell silent, replaced by the hum of the powerful light bulbs this building still held.
The darkness retreated, chased away by the pure, white light that flooded the space.
"Welcome to SCHALE."
Rin walked up the stairs still with that smile upon her lips.
"Follow me, sensei. I'll guide you around."
Now properly lit, Hans could finally take in the building he would be working in. It was clean, bright, spacious, and fully furnished. He briefly considered modifying it later, but to be honest, he thought this place was already perfect.
It had everything.
A study, a break room complete with a bed, a gym, living quarters, and even a spacious cafeteria inside.
"Here we are," Rin said, tapping the last door.
The door slid open, revealing a spacious office. The place he instinctively knew he'd be spending most of his time in.
At its center was a large desk with papers neatly stacked and a strange sleek device sitting in the middle. Around the room stood tall cabinets and shelves crammed with books and more papers.
Off to one side, a table for guests was paired with several plush, comfortable sofas.
"This is the main office. It has been empty for so long, but now, finally, it has an owner. You could say this is the heart of the club and the place where you'll be working most of the time." Rin said as she walked to another device on the table and pressed a big button on it.
"I'll arrange for someone to teach you the basics of computers, sensei, since…" She paused, letting out a small cough. "Anyway, I'll explain SCHALE to you. I'm sure you have questions waiting to be answered."
Rin adjusted her glasses and cleared her throat.
"The Independent Federal Investigation Club: SCHALE. It's not a traditional club, per se. Instead, it's more like an extrajudicial organization—with you at the head. Since it's a federal club, you're allowed to recruit students from any of the academies in Kivotos and conduct operations without restrictions… including the power to circumvent regulations when necessary."
Hans blinked, processing the weight of her words.
"To put it bluntly, SCHALE's power is on par with the GSC… and maybe even above it. I still have no idea how she managed to create a club with this much authority. But either way…" Rin paused, her words trailing off.
"...I trust you, sensei," she said in a gentle whisper.
"Moving on," she clapped her hands lightly and continued, "your duties will include reviewing civil complaints, processing requests for materials, supplies, aid, and so forth. We'll be counting on you." Rin concluded with a nod, adjusting her glasses as she spoke.
Hans nodded in understanding.
Rin returned his nod. "Very well. Let's go back," she said, gesturing toward the exit.
She ascended the stairs, with Hans following closely behind. He took one last look at the room before they left. Through the hallways, down another flight of stairs, they finally reached the front door. Rin reached into a small locker and pulled out a lanyard, holding it out to Hans with a nod.
"This will act as your key, Sensei. Just tap the card against the scanner." She explained.
Hans did as instructed. He wore it around his neck and under his dog tags. With a beep, the door opened to a sight beyond expectations and dreams.
An enormous sea of curious faces stretched out before them. Dozens of students in all kinds of uniforms and haloes mingled with...
Literal… walking cats and dogs? And… artificial constructs of mankind?
Upon closer inspection, some constructs had heads shaped like those… American football atop slender bodies, while others were rectangular with generously chubby bodies.
Just when Hans thought nothing in this city could surprise him anymore. He is barely scratching the tip of the iceberg.
Now that he thought about it, he couldn't spot any… non-haloed mortals aside from him. There's only constructs, animals, and the strange mix of students. They had called him an adult, but… what even are adults in this place?
Hans narrowed his eyes at the mix of animals and automatons. Do they classify as adults?
Scheiße, this was a mess. He was overthinking it.
"Is that him?! The adult who saved the city with a bunch of students?!"
"Is he really an adult?!"
"What club and academy is he from?!"
"Hey, have you seen the video? Look! He destroyed a tank single-handedly without a weapon!"
The chatter swirled around him like white noise, blending into an overwhelming hum. Hans stiffened, his hands clenched into fists instinctively.
He hated being in the spotlight.
And just when he thought it couldn't get any worse, a van screeched to a halt nearby and two girls jumped out from it with shining eyes, and burning determination. One carried a microphone, the other a camera.
"Excuse me, sir! I'm Kawaru Shinon, and this is my partner Kazemaki Mai from Kronos News Club!" The blonde girl spoke quickly, her energy palpable as she pointed to her companion—the girl with glasses holding the camera.
"Are you open to answering our burning questions?!"
How he loathed interviews…
Hans simply raised his hand and shook his head before pointing to Rin with his index finger. Rin blinked, momentarily caught off guard, and the journalists fell silent in confusion.
"E-Eh…? O-Oh! Uhm, Vice President Nanagami Rin! Are you the one who's going to answer our questions in his stead?" Shion's eyes sparkled once again with excitement as she turned to the elf.
"...Yes, I will." Rin stole a quick glare at Hans in annoyance for shifting the spotlight onto her. But he was… shy. Or even mute.
In the end, thank God this was something she had grown accustomed to.
"Oooh! Then what is your relationship with this adult?! His name?! His age?! And how strong is he?!"
"What happened to the GSC President?!"
"I heard the adult here went face to face with the Fox of Calamity! How did that go?!"
Questions bombarded Rin and Hans like a storm. Luckily, Rin managed to silence them with a simple raise of her hand.
"Save your questions for later, I'll explain the situation," Rin said firmly. The journalists nodded, reluctantly stepping back to listen as they gave the microphone to her.
"To everyone currently tuning in, I am Vice President Nanagami Rin," she began, her voice steady. "Now, acting as president of the General Student Council as a consequence of the president's sudden disappearance."
Her words sent a ripple of murmurs through the crowd, confirming the rumors that the president had gone missing—a revelation that now echoed across the entire city.
Breathe in… breathe out.
"But before her disappearance, the president founded an organization designed to protect Kivotos and address any troubles arising when the General Student Council is unavailable to respond to such problems."
Or when the trouble is really that minor, Rin thought to herself, recalling the countless annoying requests that had piled onto their mountainous workload.
Swallowing her bitter annoyance, she raised her hand toward the tall, white-haired man with a composed smile… only for the realization to hit her like a lightning bolt.
She had forgotten. Completely forgotten. H-How could she forget?!
She had forgotten to give him the spare clothes SCHALE had!
Hans was still draped in that old blanket, barely covering his chest.
Oh, God… this was going to be such a highlight.
"A-Ahem…" Rin quickly cleared her throat, forcing herself to maintain her professionalism despite the crowd's growing murmurs. "This is Hans-sensei, the adult who serves as both the head and the image of the newly formed Independent Federal Investigation Club, SCHALE."
She delivered the introduction with confidence, her tone exuding professionalism. But the crowd didn't just listen with awe at her words—they couldn't help but take curious glances at his almost bare chested appearance.
"What is SCHALE? In short, SCHALE is an independent investigation organization to handle any kind of problems the GSC couldn't handle. Because of his help, we were able to regain control of Sanctum Tower and stabilize the situation."
Hans immediately grasped the microphone and shook his head. She was going to give him full credit. No. He wouldn't allow that.
He wouldn't take the credit for himself. He leaned close and once more, his lips trembled as he weighed his options. He was going to… he was going to make this a habit—something as natural as breathing. The faint burn emerged as he stroked his throat… and opened his lips.
"I… didn't… do this… alone." He said in a hoarse whisper
Then, he pointed to his ragtag group.
They stared at him, gaping like goldfish at his sudden words. Had they heard him wrong? H-He can speak after all?!
One by one, he gestured for them to step forward and stand beside him and Rin as he released the microphone with a nod, signaling Rin to continue her speech.
"...Ahem. As Hans-sensei said, we didn't do this alone," Rin began, adjusting her glasses before shooting the group a deadly glare that gave a silent threat.
If you don't come right this instant, I will destroy you.
So, reluctantly, they took their steps forward.
"Hayase Yuuka, the treasurer of Millennium's Seminar, Hanekawa Hasumi and Morizuki Suzumi, part of the Justice task force and Vigilante crew. All hailing from Trinity. Hinomiya Chinatsu of Gehenna's Prefect Team-"
Hans tapped Rin's shoulder and pointed at the other students that lent their strength as well. Rin nodded with a sigh.
"Natsume Iroha, Tanga Ibuki, of Gehenna's Pandemonium Society. Nakatsukasa Kirino, alongside her partner, Nemugaki Fubuki, the brave officers who lend us their hand from the Community Safety Bureau."
Rin cleared her throat, her voice steady as she addressed the crowd once more.
"Without them, we couldn't have dreamed of escorting Hans-sensei to this very building, and normalcy wouldn't be returning to Kivotos anytime soon. On behalf of the General Student Council, thank you, everyone. Thank you for your help. You have done Kivotos a great service today."
Rin turned toward the students, bowing deeply.
"And you did what the General Student Council failed to do."
A faint blush crept onto their cheeks. They weren't used to being in the spotlight, after all.
"Lastly," Rin continued, straightening herself. "please welcome Hans-sensei to Kivotos with open arms. Thank you."
Applause and cheers erupted moments later, a wave of celebration for him, for the students, for Rin, and for the GSC.
Hans, however, couldn't care less.
He closed his eyes and lips as though they were sealed tightly. He couldn't do it for any longer. His throat still burned, and energy utterly spent—the captain turned on his back as the barrage of questions that followed, walking back to SCHALE without a single ounce of care in the world.
He wanted nothing more but to rest and let the noises to fade from his ears
"Sensei! Sensei! Y-You can…! You talked!" Yuuka ran up to Hans, her eyes wide with wonder.
"Mm. Although…" Hasumi began, letting out a sigh, "please warn us next time when you're going to put us in the spotlight, sensei. Not that I mind, but…" A faint blush crept onto her cheeks.
"I'm in the same boat as Miss Hasumi. I'm n-not used to that kind of attention," Suzumi added, fidgeting slightly before composing herself. "But… I'll admit, I'm glad to hear you speak, even if it's just a little."
"Right, a-about that," Chinatsu stammered as she stepped forward. "I had to ask you about… your throat. I noticed you've been stroking it since then. Did something happen? Did… it hurt?"
Hans paused, his eyes glancing at them briefly. He just couldn't escape their concerns. They worried so much—for someone that doesn't deserve it.
Really, these youngsters…
He shook his head and tapped his throat lightly. "...Haven't… talked. Long… time."
Chinatsu's breath caught for a moment as understanding and realization dawned on her. Selective muteness. How long was long for him? "Sensei…"
Hans gave her a reassuring smile, faint but steady.
"...Can… manage." He said softly. "Don't… worry."
Then, the door opened as the last one of their original party entered. "Haah… they're slowly dispersing. Although I would like it if they had done that a lot earlier…" Rin plucked her glasses and stroked her exhausted eyes.
Her speech was over fifteen minutes ago, yet still the sea of civilians and students trying to get some more answers and such are still outside, albeit a little fewer thanks to the efforts of the safety bureau.
"Once more, I would like to express my gratitude. Thank you for your great work, everyone."
"A-Ah… hehe. Just doing our part, Acting President," Yuuka said, rubbing the back of her head.
Hasumi nodded. "Mm. No need to thank us. We're just happy to help." In which the rest shared the sentiment.
Rin returned their nod with a small smile, but her gaze quickly shifted to the adult.
"Sensei." Her voice took on a sharp edge. "Y-You know, when those reporters from Kronos left, t-they said to thank you… for the eye candy!" She pointed at his loose cloak, still made from that makeshift blanket. "...But I suppose it's my fault too for forgetting to-"
Before she could finish, Hans calmly raised a hand and began pulling the blanket off, letting it slide from his shoulders-
"H-HEY! S-SENSEI! N-N-NOT IN FRONT OF US!" Yuuka shouted, hastily grabbing his gloved hand to stop him. Realizing what she'd just done, she immediately bounced back, bursting into a flurry of apologies.
"Ahem. W-Well… I guess… that's that," Hasumi muttered, clearing her throat awkwardly. Her face was tinged with red, though not as much as Yuuka's, who was now practically glowing like a lit christmas tree.
"H-Hm. Oh, and Sensei…" Chinatsu spoke up, stepping forward to break the awkward situation "Before Iroha left, she told me to give this back to you. She pried it off Ibuki's head earlier."
Reaching into her bag, Chinatsu carefully retrieved the cap and handed it to him. "Here you go."
Hans accepted the cap with a small nod and placed it back on his head. It fit perfectly like always... back with its rightful owner, at last. It feels good.
"Fufu."
Rin's soft chuckle broke the quiet moment, followed quickly by the others' not soon after.
Hans hadn't realized that… he had been smiling all this time.
"This has been a pleasure, everyone. We'll have to say goodbye, but I hope you'll visit us at Trinity General School soon, sensei." Hasumi said with a smile as she waved goodbye.
"Mm. I hope the same as well. See you around, sensei." Suzumi followed not long after, right behind Hasumi.
"I'll have to leave too. I need to report what happened here to our Head Prefect." Chinatsu said, packing up her things. She hesitated for a moment before adding, "But… y-you're welcome to stop by and visit us in Gehenna, sensei. See you around."
Chinatsu left shortly after, leaving just Yuuka, Hans, and Rin behind.
"Then I guess I'll be…"
"Hold on for a moment, Miss Hayase." Rin interrupted, cutting her off mid-sentence. "I have a request for you."
"Huh?" Yuuka blinked, tilting her head.
"I need you to teach sensei computer and phone basics," Rin said, adjusting her glasses with a voice of authority.
"E-Eh…?! W-WHY ME?!" Yuuka shouted in a mix of protest and disbelief.
"Because you're the most reliable when it comes to technology. If I'm wrong, then I'll…"
"Ugh! Fine! Fine! I-I get it!" Yuuka pouted, a small blush coloring her cheeks. "I'll do it, okay? Sensei, let's go."
"I didn't say it had to be now, Yuuka," Rin teased, a smug smile tugging on her lips.
"YOU—!" Yuuka began, but quickly stopped herself with a groan.
"Anyway," Rin switched her focus to the adult. "sensei, there should be some spare clothes in the break room, but if those don't fit you, head to the crafting chamber. I think the president left you a few blueprints." She gestured with a nod, again prying her eyes away from his body.
"I'll see you later, sensei." She added for the last time as she waved goodbye, and walked out of the door.
With a sigh and a frown, Yuuka walked ahead deeper into the building and into the main office. "Let's go, sensei."
Hans nodded in agreement but gestured for her to wait. Turning toward the shelves, he rummaged through them in search of some books that might be helpful in her lesson.
Then a blue covered book caught his attention.
Computer Grundlagen für Kinder und Dummkopf.
Somehow, this book is pissing him off. With a nod, Hans excused himself for a moment. He rummaged through the break room to find that… none of the clothes fit.
Looks like he's going to the crafting chamber after all.
"Sensei, I have prepared a new blueprint for you! And trust me, you'll like my design!" Arona confidently said from the tablet.
He'd just have to trust her.
1 AM.
It was late in Kivotos as the clock struck.
Yuuka had left SCHALE about three hours ago. Sleepy, but satisfied knowing she had helped Hans in whatever way she could.
Yet the captain remained at the desk, typing furiously on the computer. His fingers danced across the keys in a blur, red eyes narrowing as they darted from one document to another, and back to the computer. Scanning on which ones were important and which ones he can ignore.
This was only his first day on the job, yet he had already done days' worth of paperwork. He still hadn't lost his touch in these matters, so that's a plus.
All of it was thanks to Yuuka who had spent hour after hour teaching the old dog anything and everything she could about computers and phones. At first, he felt like an infant, fumbling over what the students considered simple, everyday tools. But now, he felt as though he had grasped a good part of it.
Maybe that was too high of a praise for himself, knowing these devices were just mundane objects for the students. But to him? To someone that came from 1945? These everyday objects are like magic.
They were nothing but extraordinary.
The ability to process vast amounts of data in mere minutes or even seconds. Information that might once have taken weeks or months to find in books and documents was now accessible at the press of a button, and a click of a mouse.
Everything, all of it moving at lightning speed. Information accessed by mere seconds. Even considering Dok's abilities to create artificial bodies, monsters or literal enigmas, concepts and problems molded into the form of a boy—Hans couldn't help but feel that not even he could make such a thing.
Hans couldn't help but feel that the tech back then was primitive compared to this.
For the moment, Hans felt… utterly ancient.
Or worse, like Dok himself, drooling ridiculously at the thought of new toys to play with to further his own research and agenda. Whatever it is.
He could never fully understand him, even after working with the scientist for years before and after Millennium. He's more absurd than the Major. He simply wanted to enjoy war, and cause destruction.
The rest of the Werwolves are the same. But the Dok… is none of that. Maybe he joined for the thrill of research and creation, or maybe he wanted to rule the world.
"Sensei…" Arona's voice yawned through the tablet, breaking the silence of tapping buttons and flicks of papers. "Shouldn't you be sleeping right now?"
Hans shook his head in response. He was used to going weeks, months even without a wink of sleep back in the war.
This wasn't any different.
After all, he was a creature born of the moon. The heir of Luna, a supernatural soldier fighting a war one can barely understand all before he came to the service of The Major.
Now? He's a teacher in a land of angels, animals, and machines.
This shouldn't feel different… yet everything about it does.
No matter how he tried to convince himself that this was just another familiar job, it wasn't. It was far-fetched, absurd, and entirely… different. Even with all of his experience, this new profession was going to take some time to adjust to.
Still, he had faith that he'd manage the blue-haired girl's last request. That was it, he thought as his fingers continued flying over the keyboard, but… something seemed to tug at the corners of his mind.
A thought that passed again and again.
Why him?
Of all people, why him? Surely, he was the least competent man for the job. But that didn't mean he hated it, nor was he ungrateful. It was only his first day, and the students had already filled it with unique and refreshing events.
For the first time in his long and forgotten life, Hans felt like he had done the right thing. He was… alive again, so to speak.
What should he teach them, he wondered—maybe firearms? Driving? Academical?
"Seenseii! Don't ignore mee…!" Arona's voice whined again from the tablet. "You need sleep!"
Hans paused, his hands hovering over the keyboard.
3 AM.
When had time flown by so quickly? He swore it was just 8 PM. When he had started working on the documents. Looking at it now, he had worked through more than half the documents the GSC had sent his way. Maybe… he should do a little more-
"Nope!"
Arona interrupted his thoughts, saved his work and, shut off the computer entirely.
"Sensei, off to bed!"
Hans frowned at the sudden interruption, he was just about to press the computer power button again, but Arona's voice chimed once more.
"Nopee! Your super secretary says… it's time for bed! Seriously, Sensei… how long has it been since you last slept?"
"A…rona." Hans whispered and shook his head.
"Please?" Arona's voice softened, and she gave him those damn puppy eyes through the screen. "Pretty please?"
Hans sighed. He couldn't resist her. Defeated, the wolf stood up and made his way to his room.
He removed his new white suit, coat, and field cap, hanging them neatly beside the remade and M43 Greatcoat thanks to the crafting chamber. He doesn't know why… he had chosen to repair it. It's just a piece of clothing that he couldn't care about.
A part of him wanted to just throw it out, chastising his other half for even keeping that.
And yet… he couldn't. No matter what, it was a piece of his history, branding him forever without a way to erase it.
His field cap wouldn't be complete without it.
With a sigh, Hans walked to the bed. Sitting on the plush mattress before a random thought came to him. Absentmindedly reached for his new phone gifted by the GSC and checked it.
Applications… calculator… notebook… calendar…
Wait.
What was this?
A notification?
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